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'Incredibles 2': Everything you need to know about Pixar's new superhero sequel

'Incredibles 2' returns 14 years later and picks up right where Pixar's original animated classic ended. Writer/director Brad Bird explains why and what you should know about the sequel, which arrives in theaters this weekend.

The final moments of 2004's "The Incredibles" were meant to be the fitting conclusion of Pixar's superhero tale, with the united superfamily suiting up together to battle the emerging, over-the-top villain Underminer.

"That first ending was meant to show the family riding off into the sunset," says Brad Bird, writer and director of both films. "But I always felt if I did a sequel, what if I started with that moment? That would be cool."

Fourteen years later, "Incredibles 2" (in theaters Friday) picks up exactly where the original movie left off as Mr. Incredible/Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl/Helen Parr (Holly Hunter), Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Huck Milner) get to the first order of business — stopping the Underminer.

Here's what you should know about Pixar's long-awaited sequel, and the challenges of unfreezing time onscreen.

The family takes in the view while Helen (voiced by Holly Hunter) works the phone.(Photo: PIXAR)

The Parr family is still the same, but evolving

Bird thinks preserving the moment made perfect sense for both the Parrs and the story.

"People tend to be literal about sequels: 'It's 14 years later, they have to be 14 years older,' " says Bird. "But that concept is not as cool. That had to be the same."

Their ages needed to track from the first movie to fit audience expectations of the characters.

"Men are expected to be strong, so (Mr. Incredible) has super-strength. Moms are pulled in 10 different directions, so (Elastigirl) is stretchy," Bird says. "Teenagers are insecure and defensive, so (Violet) has invisibility and force fields. Ten-year-olds want to push every button now, so (Dash) has super-speed. And babies (Jack-Jack) are unknowns."

Spencer Fox, now 25, had aged out of voicing the preteen Dash and had to be "swapped out" with Milner. The 10-year-old voice actor has the same energy "but absolutely has his own take on it," says Bird.

Jack-Jack, who secretly showed superpowers out of family view in the original, has had a major growth spurt in his faculties, much to the shock of his parents.

Violet's friend Tony plays a pivotal role

The family encounters the Underminer after leaving Dash's track meet. In "Incredibles 2," that encounter is shown from a new perspective: that of Violet's burgeoning love interest, Tony Rydinger.

'I didn't want to pick up where we left off in a predictable way, so I did it through Tony's eyes," says Bird.

Tony and Violet had already agreed to go on their first date when he witnesses the family's hidden, shocking super-side.

Bringing Tony back for an extended role was tricky. He's voiced by Bird's son Michael, now 30. Michael successfully pitched his voice higher to find Tony's range ("He got there," Bird says), and any vocal blemishes were fixed electronically.

Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) gets right back to work stopping the villain Underminer in "Incredibles 2."(Photo: PIXAR)

Superheroes are still illegal

"The Incredibles" story hung on the premise that once-mighty, always honorable superheroes had gone underground after their work was outlawed as too destructive.

This forced Mr. Incredible to be a down-low superhero-for-hire while his wife stayed home.

Bob (Craig T. Nelson) navigates life at home while Helen is tackling a new mission.(Photo: PIXAR)

In "Incredibles 2," it's Elastigirl who gets the assignment from philanthropist Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his tech-genius sister, Evelyn (Catherine Keener), to fight crime with body cameras to help change public perception and reverse the anti-super laws. Mr. Incredible is tasked with minding the home.

While Elastigirl's heroics reflect the national mood, Bird insists he came up with the concept years ago.

"Truth is, I had the core idea of the role switch as we were promoting the first film," says Bird.

The Underminer goes low, the Screenslaver follows

Underminer moves up from quick laugh in an exiting scene to a major "Incredibles 2" villain, a boon for Pixar fixture John Ratzenberger. He bellows the immortal salvo to the trembling metropolis: "I'm always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me!"

"John can really bring it," says Bird.

But that story is overshadowed by the mysterious villain Screenslaver, whose potent mind-control methods even work on superheroes.

Their battle takes the best aspects of the original film and twists them.

"The gold place for a sequel is "The Empire Strikes Back," "Godfather II"or "Road Warrior," where you take the concepts the world feels are familiar, but the world can't predict what’s going to happen next," says Bird. "Those are the films I want to emulate."

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America’s favorite superhero family is returning to the big screen 14 years after the debut of “Incredibles.” Who’s returning, who isn’t and who’s joining the “Incredibles” lineup for the first time? Pixar Animation Studios

Craig T. Nelson (Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible) is best known for his starring roles in the Emmy Award-winning show “Coach” and 1982 horror classic “Poltergeist.” More recently, he was a series regular on “Parenthood” and appeared in the film “Book Club” this year with Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda. Jimmy Morrison, EPA

Holly Hunter (Helen Parr/Elastigirl) won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her role in “The Piano.” She’s also well known for Oscar-nominated performances in “Broadcast News” (1987), “The Firm” (1993) and “Thirteen” (2004). Hunter recently played Emily’s mother (opposite Ray Romano as her father) in “The Big Sick.” Jean Baptiste Lacroix, WireImage

Sarah Vowell (Violet Parr) is best known off the big screen as a nonfiction writer and contributor to Ira Glass’ “This American Life” radio broadcast. Huck Milner replaces Spencer Fox — who originated the role but is now 25 — as the Parrs' speedy middle child, Dash. This is Milner’s first film. Jesse Grant, Getty Images for Disney

Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as Lucius Best/Frozone, Mr. Incredible’s crime-fighting partner who starred in the original film’s most famous scene: “Honey, where’s my super suit?” The acclaimed actor has been in film classics like “Goodfellas” (1990), “Pulp Fiction” (1994) and “Snakes on a Plane” (2006). Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images for Disney

Brad Bird, returning as the film’s director and writer, is also reprising his role as the infamous designer-to-the-heroes, Edna Mode. Bird also directed “Ratatouille” and Warner Bros.’ “The Iron Giant” and spent nine years as an executive consultant for “The Simpsons.” Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

John Ratzenberger is known for his Emmy-nominated performance as Cliff Clavin in “Cheers” and long list of Pixar voice roles including Hamm in “Toy Story,” Mack in “Cars” and the Yeti in “Monsters, Inc.” He returns as the villain Underminer, who appeared only in the last few minutes of “Incredibles.” Jimmy Morrison, EPA

You may recognize Sophia Bush from her TV roles as cheerleader Brooke Davis from “One Tree Hill” or Detective Erin Lindsay in “Chicago P.D.” Offscreen, Davis is an activist with multiple charities and organizations and frequents social media to share causes. Bush is a newcomer to the “Incredibles” franchise, playing Voyd: an overeager young superhero obsessed with Elastigirl. Jean Baptiste Lacroix, WireImage

Catherine Keener also joins the cast as Evelyn Deavor, who helps run a big-time telecommunications company with her brother, Winston (Bob Odenkirk). She’s best known for her roles in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005), “Being John Malkovich” (1999) and, recently, “Get Out” (2017). Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Bob Odenkirk, another new face in the “Incredibles” franchise, plays Winston Deavor, the brother to Keener’s Evelyn and the leader of a worldwide telecommunications company. Odenkirk spent nine years as Saul Goodman in “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” and recently played Ben Bagdikian in Steven Spielberg’s “The Post.” Jean Baptiste Lacroix, WireImage

Italian actress Isabella Rossellini is a former Lancome model and starred in “Blue Velvet” (1986) and “Death Becomes Her” (1992). She joins the “Incredibles” cast as the Ambassador, who is working to bring superheroes back into mainstream society. John Lamparski, WireImage